SPRINGFIELD, Mass. â€" If the Western New England College softball team is going to win its fifth straight Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Tournament, the Golden Bears will have to get ready for a long day Sunday.

Third-seeded Suffolk University defeated seventh-seeded Simmons (5-0) before pulling off the upset of the day with a 2-1 victory in eight innings over top-seeded Western New England College on Saturday (April 29) to remain the only undefeated team in the GNAC Tournament.

Sophomore Jenn Elwell (Tewksbury, MA) led the Rams by tossing a four-hit shutout over Simmons and a two-hitter over WNEC. She gave up no earned runs in 12 innings to raise her record to 19-4.

Fourth-seeded Pine Manor stayed alive in the double elimination tournament by winning three games over Albertus Magnus (9-0 in five innings), Simmons (3-0), and Emerson (5-0).

Western New England College, which defeated Norwich (9-0 in five innings), will meet Pine Manor at 9:00 a.m. Sunday (April 30) with the winner advancing to face Suffolk at 11:00 a.m.

Suffolk needs only one win to capture the GNAC Tournament crown. WNEC and Pine Manor will have to win three games to take the title.

Winners bracket summaries from Saturday (April 29)

Suffolk 2, Western New England College 1 (8 innings) â€" The Rams rallied from a 1-0- deficit tying the game in the sixth on a RBI single by a sophomore first base player Natalie West (East Bridgewater, MA) (3-for-4) then scoring an unearned run in the eighth for the win. The Golden Bears had a runner on third with one out in the bottom of the eighth before sophomore Jenn Elwell (Tewksbury, MA) fanned the last two hitters. Elwell struck out four and didn’t walk anyone as Suffolk improved to 31-8. Western New England College (33-9) went ahead 1-0 in the fourth by scoring an unearned run.

Western New England College 9, Norwich 0 (5 inn.) - In the Golden Bears’ first game, sophomore right-hander Alex Paterson (Deep River, CT) tossed a five-hitting no-hitter striking out four with no walks to improve her record to 11-4. Sophomore first base player Jackie Card (Greenfield, MA) went 2-for-3 with four RBI, including a two-run homer in the first inning. Senior catcher Kristy Kehoss (Cheshire, CT) also was 2-for-3 with two runs and two runs-batted-in.

Suffolk 5, Simmons 0 â€" Freshman second base player Jess Ferreira (Cambridge, MA) belted a two-run homer (her 13th homer of the season) as the Rams took a 3-0 lead and never looked back. Sophomore designated player Jenna Erwin (Susanville, CA) added a RBI single in the third.

Sunday, April 30, 2006 â€" Springfield, Massachusetts

WNEC Softball Field
Game M â€" Western New England College vs. Pine Manor, 9:00 a.m.
Game N â€" Suffolk vs. Western New England College/Pine Manor, 11:00 a.m.
Game O â€" 1:00 p.m. (if needed)

Saturday, April 29, 2006 â€" Springfield, Massachusetts

WNEC Softball Field
Game E â€" Western New England College 9, Norwich 0 (5 inn.)
Game H â€" Emerson 5, Emmanuel 3 (Emmanuel eliminated)
Game J â€" Emerson 9, Norwich 1 (5 inn.) (Norwich eliminated)
Game K â€" Suffolk 2, Western New England College 1 (8 inn.)

Greenleaf Field
Game F â€" Suffolk 5, Simmons 0
Game G â€" Pine Manor 9, Albertus Magnus 0 (5 inn.) (Albertus Magnus eliminated)
Game I â€" Pine Manor 3, Simmons 0 (Simmons eliminated)
Game L â€" Pine Manor 3, Emerson 0 (Emerson eliminated)

Thursday, April 27, 2006 â€" Campus Sites
Game A - Western New England College 9, Albertus Magnus 1 (5 inn.)
Game B - Norwich 4, Pine Manor 3
Game C - Simmons 11, Emerson 9 (8 inn.)
Game D - Suffolk 3, Emmanuel 0

Seeds: 1. Western New England College (23-1), 2. Emerson (22-2), 3. Suffolk (21-3), 4. Pine Manor (15-9), 5. Norwich (14-10), 6. Emmanuel (14-10), 7. Simmons (12-12), 8. Albertus Magnus (10-14). (Conference record in parenthesis.)